Forum home Babies Postnatal depression

Experience of cognitive behaviour therapy?

Hi Ladies,



Had my 3rd month check up with the doctor today. We've changed my meds as I simply feel they weren't working. She suggested and gave me details about CBT, but I'm not sure about it all and if it's for me.



Does anyone have any experience (positive and/or negative) that you could share with me please?



My thoughts are that I'll give the new meds a chance to work and if not then consider the CBT.



Thanks

xxx

Replies

  • hi there



    i'm on sertraline and i have CBT as well

    i find the meds help me think clearly and rationally which helps a heck of alot so with the CBT it only kind of helps because i am already taking meds so the CBT is for me only really makng me talk and think through things I already know. but i wanted to do both because I just want to get over this as quickly as possible.



    my CBT is through healthy minds and i have a fortnightly 'chat' with a therapist on the phone, in honesty it doesnt feel like its doing much but i've only just started so need to give it more of a chance.

    i definately feel the meds are working for me, maybe the CBT is working for me quietly in the background, if you know what I mean, cause its about self reflection and recognising behaviours etc so maybe it's sinking in and when I read some of the booklets they send it enables me to relate to what is in them and what I feel and how I am...



    anyway, may be abit rambled but I hope that helps



    xx
  • Hello



    I was on antidepressants for about 18mths before I became pregnant and did CBT. For me I think there are a couple of things that you need to think about first in order to decide whether CBT will work for you.



    For example, there are different forms of depression ranging from:

    - I don't know why I feel like this my life is great

    to

    - I have experienced some crappy things over the months that have resulted in me feeling like this



    For me, I went onto medication when I felt like no matter how positive I tried to be and tried to work through my problems I was still feeling like crap. My doctor suggested that I tried CBT and I went into it with an open mind.



    However, I found that CBT tried to focus more on how I was being harsh on myself and overly self critical etc etc. I found myself sitting there with the therapist and thinking, 'you are not listening to me'. They seemed intent on teaching me all these techniques to resolve my problems. But to be honest, most of the time you tend to do them anyway. I had 5 sessions and decided not to go anymore as it wasn't helping. The bottom line for me, was that I just needed to unload and talk about how I was feeling because my feelings were in fact 'normal' given my circumstances.



    One thing that I would say, is that previously I had done 2 sets of Psychotherapy with a counsellor, which I found to be brilliant and to this day, I use the skills that they taught me to get through things. I would recommed this method any day, as personally I didn't find CBT insightful or helpful - it mostly just annoyed me.



    And if your wondering, my depression was a combination of fertility problems, my parents divorce and a falling out with my brother. So sometimes it can be symptomatic of just having a crappy time. CBT didn't help me to fix this, but talking it through with a Psychotherapist did.



    Sorry to ramble, but it just annoys me that doctors think CBT is the answer and we do these things to ourselves. When really sometimes, crap stuff just happens and its hard to deal with.



    However, everyone is different and only you, know you. The bottom line is, you won't know if it will help unless you try it.



    Good luck, and I sincerley hope things start to get better soon.



    Hugs



    Haze xxx
  • Hi Ladies thank you both so much for your replies.



    Raeyas_mommy, today I've taken my first dose of Sertraline. I was previously on Fluoxetine for 3 months and although they helped with some of the obvious signs(I no longer cry EVERY day), I really was still struggling and didn't feel like they were working as well as they should be. The doctor told me that the effects of Sertraline if it's working can be seen/felt as soon as 1 week on, though of course it may take longer. So I'm hoping to see and feel an improvement if switching drugs was the right thing for me to do. I hope you start to feel more benefit from the CBT if you continue with it and that the combination of treatments continues to work for you. All the best hun.



    Haze, I found your message really helpful so thank you for sharing it. For me I fall into the first form of depression you mentioned. I know that my 'issues' stem from my daughter being born early and the initial struggles that bought, but now the rational part of my brain says she's a fine and healthy 10 and a half month old who's thriving...yet I still can't shake off my anxieties and worries and constantly feel I need to do better by her. For this reason, my doctor thought CBT would be good for me because I can identify that my feelings are often irrational and so the CBT should help me to change my thoughts and actions? Or something like that anyway?! I completely understand why you found the psychotherapy more useful given your circumstances and what you've said does make me think that CBT would be useful for me in mine. However I really am not the sort of person who likes to talk about my feelings, it's hard enough with my hubby and mum, I find talking to strangers even more difficult. (Unless of course it's as MummyAnon on here!). I'm not sure from your message whether you are still pregnant or if you have your baby, but I hope things are going well for you now and wish you all the best for the future.



    My plan of action is to do some research on CBT and give the new meds a couple of weeks to see how I do and decide from there whether or not to refer myself for it.



    Thanks again for taking the time to reply

    xxx
  • Hey chick,



    Glad to help. You sounded quite positive in your post and hopefully things will start to look up for you soon.



    I'm due in March - eek!! am quite excited but really worried I might get PND due to my history. Plus have been extremely hormonal throughout this pregnancy. LOL well it keeps hubby on his toes - not that he sees it that way.



    Good luck, and if you need a chat or have a question etc, feel free to PM me.



    Good luck, and here's to a fab 2011 for us both.



    Haze xxx
  • I had CBT for Bulimia Nervosa. It helped a lot to talk things through with someone, and the stragegies they teach you work as long as you practise them. I would say in all honesty CBT requires a commitment from the person undergoing therapy to want to sort out the problem, plus total honesty and hardwork. It worked for me though xxx
  • Hi, thanks for coming back to us, the sertraline took 2 weeks to start working for me. def look into forms of therapy and best of luck with it.



    Haze - congrats!!! and all the best for March image



  • Haze, congrats on the pregnancy, I hope the next few months go well for you. I hope you don't suffer with PND, but on the positive side, at least you know what signs to look out for and seek help quickly if you need it. I, however didn't recognise it in myself till LO was 6 months, didn't speak to hubby about it till she was 7 months and it took him till 8 months to force me to the doctors! All the best and Happy New Year hun.



    Glitterbug, thanks for you message. You're completely right, it would need 100% commitment for it to work, and I don't think I'm quite sold on it as being right for me yet but will remain open minded if I'm not feeling better on the meds.



    Raeyas_mommy, I'll keep my fingers crossed for a good couple of weeks for me.



    Thanks all for your messages, here's to a happy and healthy 2011.

    xxx
Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions